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Biography & Autobiography. Nonfiction. Entertainment. Humor (Nonfiction.) HTML: Not long ago it occurred to Carol Leifer that she had to stop telling one of her favorite stories �?? seeing the Beatles perform at Shea Stadium �?? because it dated her. But then she thought: what's that about? "I see now that when you deny your age, you deny yourself," she says, "and when you lie about your age, you become your inauthentic twin. But most importantly, when you lie about your age, they win. (And of course, by "they," I mean the terrorists). In When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win, comedy veteran, Carol Leifer tells hilarious stories about herself in her own voice; her Long Island childhood; her late beloved father, the inveterate teller of dirty jokes ("I see now that, as a child, a lot of "looking up to your parents" has to do with height; and her eighty year old mother, who is still a practicing psychologist. Along the way she also takes shots at plastic surgery, class reunions, the techno craze, Chanukah, becoming a first time parent at midlife, and a host of other 21st Century craziness… (more)
User reviews
I wasn't disappointed. While I might not have been able to relate to some of the stories Ms. Leifer mentioned, her main message is for all ages. No matter what age we are, life is going to continue to throw us curve balls, but that is what makes life interesting. We can either sit in a corner and hide or we can adapt and grow. More importantly, we are never too old to continue to grow and learn.
Even more vital, Ms. Leifer's opinions about growing old gracefully are refreshing in this era of plastic surgery and fighting any hint of age on our face. While I still struggle with the idea of death, she did give me food for thought that every wrinkle is a testament to our journey through life, and we shouldn't be ashamed of that. And to erase those wrinkles (through Botox or face lifts) is not being true to ourselves. It's a message that I wish more in society would adopt.
In general, Ms. Leifer's novel was enjoyable. Her list of forty things she knows at age fifty cracked me up to no end. I seriously laughed out loud with that one. At other times, she was quite poignant about the twists and turns her life has taken. In all, she does give food for thought. It's a quick read that I would recommend to anyone interested in a bit of self-discovery.
Leifer addresses: hiding your age; cars as “political statements”/ any statements; how she found out she was gay at age 40; her love of animals; body changes as one ages; her breast cancer scare; feminism; things men should know; fake breasts; Judaism; her father; New York; being comfortable; doctors; therapists; class reunions; and many other topics.
She delves deepest into her relationship with her father. Although he worked as an optometrist, she explains that her father had always wanted to be a comedian. Leifer had been taking adult b’nai mitzvah classes when he died. She still carries around a list of jokes he carried in his wallet. At another point, she addresses when her doctor thought a lump in her breast might be cancerous. She had just started dating Lori and the panic merely strengthened the fledgling relationship. Finally there are the normal trials and tribulations of being part of a couple. Leifer became a vegan, yet Lori continues to eat meat. Leifer wants to be buried in New York, while Lori wants them to be buried together in her family plot in California. Leifer adds some comedic moments to these serious elements of her life and there are some hits and some misses as with any comedy routine.
I knew Leifer did stand-up and wrote for Seinfeld and dated Jerry way back in the day. Other than that I didn’t know much about her. I’ve learned a few things from this book but still do not have a strong grasp of her persona. When You Lie about Your Age, The Terrorists Win is not particularly momentous. It is a fast-paced, light read.